Electric-railway system.



No .'69|,8|0. Pat ented'lan. 28, 1902.

w. B. POTTER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1599.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8h eet' I.

. TLOJMW E NW U g Q MTHEEEIESI NJEP TDRI A. William B.pob'ber-,

Mrs STATES PATENT Ormcs.

WVILLIAM B. POTTER, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,810, dated January 28, 1902. Application filed September 20,1899; Serial No. 731,049. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. POTTER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Scheir ectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, (Case No. 987,) of-"which the following is a specification.

This invention is a system of electric train control. Its object is to provide means for operating trains in a safe and convenient manner; and it consists in the application of electrical devices to electric circuits in such manner and to exercise the functions as electromagnetic control system for the devided with a motor-controller H.

vices E and E of Fig. 2.

The system is particularly adapted for trains for short lines, which trains move back and, forth without turning; but it can be applied to any other desired. Thetrain may be composed of any number of cars, and when the motor-controllers are operated by a master.

controller system a cable D for train-conductors should extend thelength of the train. As shown, there is a motor-car at each end of the train, and each motor-car B B is pro- Any or all of the cars may carry master-controllers K, preferably-one at each end of the car, and collecting-devices I for contact with the line conductor A; but I prefer to employ collecting devices on the end cars only.

Referring to Fig. 2, M and M represent the propelling-motors on the cars B and B and II the motor-controller on each of said cars. The actuating devices for these controllers are connected, as indicated, to a system of train-conductors D,extending throughout the train, and at suitable points along this system master-controllers K are provided, from any one of which the actuating devices of the several motor-controllers may be controlled. I I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate this control system in detail, since itmay be of any desired character so long as it'accomplishes the above-specified functions; but I refer to patent to Elihu Thomson, No. 617,546, dated January 10, 1899, as showing one of the systems which I may employ for this purpose.v

An extra train-conductor D is provided for connect ing the current-collecting devices I on the leading car with the other motor equipments. This conductor may be separated from'the others, as shown, or it may be-included with the master-controller conductors in the cable D.

On each motor-car circuits are led from the collecting devices through suitable circuitbreaking devices, hereinafter referred to, to two terminals e and e constituting contacts of a two-blade double-throw switch, the one on the car B being lettered E and the corresponding switch of the car B being lettered E. The two blades of each of these switches are permanently connected, the one to the train-conductor D and the other to the motorcontroller on the car on which the particular switch is located. Another set of contacts for electricallyconnecting the two switch-- lades, in one of the positions of the switch, is shown at 6. These switches, together with their circuit connections,constitute means for connecting all the motor equipments on the train to the collecting devices at either end.

In order to render the illustration clear, these switches have been shown of the simplest type operated by hand; but evidently they might be included in the same structure with the motor-controller and operated at any desired time by a IIIEISIQDCOHIJIQIIGI. In Fig. 3 I have shown them of the cylindrical type op-' eratively connected to electromagnetic actuating devices and with circuit connections so arranged that they may be operated from either end of any motor-car. I

Referring again to Fig. 2, the switches E and E are shown properly positioned for run- IOO ning the train to the left with the car B for" the leading car. If now the master-controller J on any one of the cars-as, for example, the one at the leftot the carB- is moved into its first operative position, so as to close thecircuit to the propelling-motors at the motorcontrollers, current for the motors on the leading car will enter through contact devices I and will flow through conductors L and L and contact 6 to the right-hand blade of the switch E, whence it will fiow through the conductor L and the contacts of the motor-controller H to the motors M and M and to ground at G. At the same time current for the motors on the following car will enter through the same contact devices I, but will flow through conductor L and contact 6 to the left-hand blade of the switch E, whence it will flow through the train-conductor D to the left-hand blade of the switch E on the following car and through the short-circuiting device 6 to the other blade of the said switch and thence through the conductor L and the contacts of the motor-controller H to the motors M and M of the car B and to ground at G. Further movement of the master-con- .troller K will cause the different motor-controllers to assume their different operative positions in a manner well understood.

In order to furnish means for protecting the motors in all connections of the latter and also for cutting out any motor at will, I provide cut-out devices or circuit-breakers F and F at each end of each car which is equipped with a master-controller. All the circuit-breakers are normally maintained in open position, save the ones at the end of the car from which the train is being operated. In order to operate the train from the other end, it is only necessary to reverse the positions of the switches E and E and close the circuit-breakers F and F By such an arrangement it is possible for the operator to have absolute control overall the equipments on his train, and in case of any accident at the leading endas, for example, if the leading car B becomes derailed orif for anyother reason the collecting devices fail to make contact-current will be cut off from the motors on all the cars irrespective of: the positions of the several motor-controllers. Furthermore, the operator may cut out the motor equipment on any following car at will by operating the circuit-breaker which is connected in the circuit to that motor equipment. The circuit-breakers may be hand-operated or they may be arranged to be operated both by hand and automatically, so that any particular equipment may be cut out either by the operator. wherever desired or automatically upon the occurrence of certain predetermined conditions.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a means for electrically operating the switches E and E, so that from any desired point on the train the said switches may be operated to make the car at either end of the train the leading car. In this figure the switches E and E are of the cylindrical type and each one is operated by an electromagnetic device supplied with current from any suitable source, and preferably from the same source from which the motor-contro1lers on the several motor-cars are actuated. In this figure the source is indicated by a storage battery N on the leading car and a similar storage battery N on the following car, the system being shown connected up for a three-car train, as in Fig. 2. The conductors T in this figure constitute a part of the conducting system on the intermediate car of the train shown in Fig. 1 and are connected to the corresponding conductors on the motor-cars at each end by the jumper connections R. These conductors may be placed in the cable D together with the other conductors of the train system. Switches S and S on the one car and S and S on the other car are provided for closing the circuit from the storage battery to the actuating-windings of the electromagnetic devices 0 to 0 inclusive, by means of which the switches E and E are actuated.

With the switch S in the position shown in the drawings the operating-circuits for the electromagnetic devices may be traced as follows: Starting from one terminal of the storage battery N, a circuit leads through conductors 1, 2, and 3 to the switch S, thence through conductors 4 and 5 to the coil 0, and back by conductors 6 and 7 to the other terminal of the storage battery. 0n the other car of the train, starting from one terminal of the storage battery N, a circuit leads through the conductors 15 and 1G and train -conductor T to the conductor 17, thence through conductors 2 and 3 and the switch S to the conductors 4, 8, and 9, and back through another train-conductor '1 to conductors 10, 11, and 12, and thence through the coil 0 to conductors l3 and 14, which lead to the other terminal of the battery N. \Vhen the switch S is in the position shown, therefore, the cores will be drawn into the coils O and 0 respectively, and the switches E and E moved to the positions indicated in the drawings. It now the switch S should be thrown to the right, similar circuits would be closed from the storage batteries to the actuating-coils O and 0 thereby causing the switches E and E to be actuated in the opposite direction. The switches S to S inclusive, perform the same functions as the switch S. The switches S and S are located one at each end of one motor-car and the switches S and S one at each end of the other motor-car.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention comprises features which are capable of use independently of one another as well as in combination, and in the claims appended to this description I have attempted to point out and define these features both separately and in combination.

In one of its aspects my invention comprises a master control system for a train so arranged that the supply of current to all the motors on the train is caused to flow through Y collecting devices on the leading car.

In another aspect it comprises a master control system fora train so arranged thatthe circuit connections for each of the several motor equipments may be controlled from the leading car of the train irrespective'of the positions of the motor-controllers. The master control system is not, however, an indispensable element of the system constituting my present invention, for evidently the features of controlling the several motor-circuits from the leading car and of supplying current to all the motor equipments through contact devices on the leading car are applicable to train systems in general and may be 'used when the several motor-controllers are independently operated by hand as well as when they are operated from a master-controller.

My system is more particularly designed for those trains in which a motor-car is pro-' vided at each end of a train with one or more intermediate cars unequipped with motive apparatus interposed between the said motor-cars; but it may evidently be applied to a train having any desired arrangement. of motor-cars. I

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not restricted to the specific apparatus shown and described, since other specific means may be employed for the purposes of my invention, and material changes both" in the apparatus itself and in the connectingcircuits maybe made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is'

1. In combination,a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, motor-controllers on the several motor-cars, collecting devices at each end of the train, and switching devices and circuit connections constructed and arranged to connect the source of supply to the motor-controllers on the several cars through the collecting devices at either end of the train.

- 2. In combination,a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, a motor-controller on each of the motor-cars,

collecting devices at eachendof the train,

and means for connecting the several motor equipments, each through its owncontroller to the source of'supply through the collecting devices at either end of the train.

3. In combination in-a'train" system, a mo tor-car at each end of the train, collecting devices at each end of the train, a single motor-controller on each of the motor-cars, and

means for connecting all the motor-control lers on the trainto the collecting devices at either end. I 1

4. In combination in a train system, a motor-car at each end of the train, collecting devices at each end of the train, electromagnetically-actuated switches constructed and arranged to close circuits from the collecting devices at either end of the several motor equipments, and means located at each end 'of'the train for controlling the operation of said switches. I

5. In combination in a train system, a motor-car at each end of the train, collecting devices at each end of the train, a train-conductor extending throughout the train, and a switch on each of the motorcars having one of its members connected to said train-cond nctor and another member connected to one of the motor equipments, said switches being constructed and arranged to close separate circuits from the collecting devices at either end of the train ments. 6. In combination in a train system, a motor-car at each end of the train, collecting devices at each end ofthe train, a single motorcontroller on each of the motor-cars, means for closing separate circuits from the collecting devices'ateither end to the several motor equipments, and a cut-out device in each-of said circuits.

7. The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on some of the cars, a single motor-controller on each motor-car, collecting devices at the end of the train, separate circuits between the collecting devices and the several motor-controllers on the train, and a cut-out device in each ofsaid circuits.

8. The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on some of the cars, a single motor-controller on each motor-car, collecting devices at the end of the train, separate circuits between the collecting devices and the several motor-controllers on the train, and an automatic cut-out device in each of said circuits.

9. In combination, a'plurality of cars united a motor-controller on each of the motor-cars, and circuit-breaking devices on the leading car'for separately controlling the circuit connections betweent-he source and the several motor-controllers.

. 10. In combination, I a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, a motor-controller on each of the motorcars, separate circuits leading from the collecting devices to the several motor-controllers on the train, and circuit-breakers, located on the leading car, included in'said separate circuits.

11. The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on some of the cars, a single motor-controller on each motor-car, separate circuits through the several motor-controllers, and means located at the point of. control of the train for opening one of said circuits without affecting the others. I

12. The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on some of the cars, a single motor-controller on each motor-car, separate circuits through the several motor-controllers, and means under the control of the operator on the leading car for opening one of said circuits without affecting the others.

electric motors on said cars, a single motorto the several motor equipto form a train, motors on some of said cars,,

13. The combination with a train of cars, of

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controller on each motor-car, separate circuits through the several motor-controllers on the train, and means located at the point of control of the train for opening said motor-circuits.

14:. In combination, a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, a motor-controller on each of the motorcars, a master-controller on the leading car, and means on the leading car for separately controlling the circuit connections between the source and the several motor equipments.

15. In combination, a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, a motor-controller on each of the motorcars, a master-controller located at any desired point on the train, and means adjacent to saidmaster-controller for separately controlling the circuit connections between the source and the several motor equipments.

16. In combination, a plurality of cars united to form a train, motors on some of said cars, a motor-controller on each motor-car, collecting devices at the end of the train, connections from said collecting devices to each of said motor-controllers, and a master-controller system for operating said motor-controllers.

17. In combination, a plurality of cars united to form a train, a motor-car at each end of the train, collecting devices at'each end of the train, a motor-controller on each motor-car,means for closing separate circuits from the collecting devices at either end to the several motor equipments, and a mastercontroller system for operatingthe motor-con trollers.

18. The combination with two or more motor-cars in a train, of electric motors and collecting devices on each motor-car, a single motor-controller on each motor-car, suitable circuit connections, and switches on the motor-cars constructed and arranged to connect all the motor equipments, each through its own controller to the collecting devices of any car.

19. The combination with two or more motor-cars in a train, of electric motors and collecting devices on each motor-car, switches on the motor-cars for connecting all the motor equipments to the collecting devices of any car, suitable circuit connections therefor, and acontrol system for simultaneously operating all of said switches from any desired point on the train.

20. The combination with motor-cars in a train, of electric motors and collecting devices on each motor-car, a switch on each car, all the switches being constructed and arranged to be operated to connect all the motor equipments to the collecting devices of 'any car, and circuit-breakers on each car arranged to be included in circuit with the several motor equipments.

21. The combination with motor-cars in a train, of collecting devices on each motor-car, motors on each motor-car, means whereby current may be supplied to said motors through the collecting devices on any motor-car, and circuit-breakers for each motor-circuit on each motor-car.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of September, 1899.

IVILLIAM B. POTTER.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL,

GENEVIEVE HAYNES. 

